Cedar Walton
- Born:
- , Dallas, Texas, USA
- Died:
- , Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Instrument:
- Piano
- Notable collaborations:
- Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, Hank Mobley, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Jordan
- Genres:
- Jazz, Funk / Soul, Latin, Pop, Folk, World, & Country, Blues, Rock, Stage & Screen, Brass & Military, Classical
- Styles:
- Hard Bop, Bop, Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz, Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Swing, Modal, Latin Jazz, Cool Jazz
Cedar Walton is a Hard Bop and Post Bop pianist whose compositions and sideman work made him essential to modern jazz. His career shows a clear trajectory: from his foundational years with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (1961-1964) to his extensive work as a first-call sideman throughout the 1960s and 70s with artists like Joe Henderson, Hank Mobley, and Freddie Hubbard. His leadership on labels like Prestige, Muse, and Columbia produced a substantial catalog showcasing his compositions like “Bolivia” and “Mosaic”. He was a key figure in the Prestige label’s 1970s output and co-led the group Eastern Rebellion, demonstrating his ability to balance tradition with contemporary approaches.
Essential Cedar Walton Albums
Eastern Rebellion
Cedar Walton, George Coleman, Sam Jones, Billy Higgins
1976
Post Bop
Eastern Rebellion 2
Cedar Walton, Bob Berg, Sam Jones, Billy Higgins
1977
Hard Bop
Animation
Cedar Walton
1978
Soul-Jazz
The All American Trio
Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette
1984
Contemporary Jazz
Soundscapes
Cedar Walton
1980
Jazz-Funk
Mobius
Cedar Walton
1975
Fusion
Beyond Mobius
Cedar Walton
1976
Fusion
Spectrum
Cedar Walton
1968
Hard Bop
The Electric Boogaloo Song
Cedar Walton
1969
Soul-Jazz
Anthenagin
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers Featuring Woody Shaw & Cedar Walton
1973
Similar Artists
Top Labels
| Label | Releases |
|---|---|
| Blue Note | 102 |
| Prestige | 50 |
| Columbia | 24 |
| SteepleChase | 24 |
| Criss Cross Jazz | 20 |
| Not On Label | 20 |
| Red Record | 19 |
| HighNote Records, Inc. | 19 |
| Riverside Records | 18 |
| Musica Jazz | 17 |
Cedar Walton Collaborations
As Leader
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Billy Higgins | Drums | 29 |
| David Williams | Bass | 17 |
| Sam Jones | Bass | 10 |
| Bob Berg | Tenor Saxophone | 7 |
| Ron Carter | Bass | 7 |
| Ray Mantilla | Percussion | 5 |
| Steve Turre | Trombone | 4 |
| Buster Williams | Bass | 4 |
| Clifford Jordan | Tenor Saxophone | 3 |
| Al Foster | Drums | 3 |
As Sideman
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Billy Higgins | Drums | 97 |
| Sam Jones | Bass | 37 |
| Curtis Fuller | Trombone | 36 |
| Freddie Hubbard | Trumpet | 33 |
| David Williams | Bass | 28 |
| Buster Williams | Bass | 24 |
| Art Blakey | Drums | 23 |
| Wayne Shorter | Tenor Saxophone | 20 |
| Ron Carter | Bass | 20 |
| Albert Heath | Drums | 17 |
Key Personnel
| Person | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Various | Leader | 52 |
| Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers | Leader | 16 |
| Joe Fields | Executive-Producer | 15 |
| Milt Jackson | Leader | 15 |
| Freddie Hubbard | Leader | 14 |
| Mark Gardner | Liner Notes | 14 |
| George Horn | Mastered By | 13 |
| Don Schlitten | Producer | 12 |
| Don Sickler | Producer | 11 |
| Todd Barkan | Producer | 11 |
Discography
Total: 706 releases
| Artist | Album | Label | Leader/Sideman | Style | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Empress | Square One | Cellar Live | Sideman | 2025 | |
| Yves Brouqui | Mean What You Say | SteepleChase | Sideman | Bop | 2025 |
| Cory Weeds | Dig Weeds! | Cohearent Records | Sideman | 2025 | |
| Kenny Dorham | Blue Bossa In The Bronx (Live From The Blue Morocco) | Resonance Records | Sideman | Bop | 2025 |
| Matt Panayides Trio | With Eyes Closed | Pacific Coast Jazz | Sideman | 2024 | |
| Gilles Peterson | Timeless Jazz Classics Volume 1 | - | Sideman | 2024 | |
| Heavy Hitters | That's What's Up | Cellar Live Records | Sideman | Hard Bop | 2024 |
| Various | Spiritual Jazz 16: Riverside etc. | - | Sideman | 2024 | |
| Ron Carter, Art Farmer | Live At Sweet Basil | Arkadia Jazz | Sideman | Big Band | 2024 |
| Roy Hargrove's Crisol | Grande-Terre | Verve Records | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2024 |
| David Janeway | Forward Motion | SteepleChase | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2024 |
| Alvin Queen Trio | Feeling Good | Stunt Records | Sideman | Bop | 2024 |
| Cedar Walton, George Coleman, Sam Jones, Billy Higgins | Eastern Rebellion 6 - Live | Solid Records | Leader | 2024 | |
| Charles Chen | Charles, Play! | Cellar Music | Sideman | Bop | 2024 |
| Akira Tana, Shingo Kano, Yasutaka Yorozu | A New Picture I | ShinRec | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2024 |
| Various | 100 Gold Fingers - Piano Playhouse 2005 | Ultra-Vybe | Sideman | Bop | 2024 |
| Benny Green | Solo | Sunnyside | Sideman | Bop | 2023 |
| Rufus Reid, Caelan Cardello | Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello | Liam Records | Sideman | Post Bop | 2023 |
| José Luiz Martins | Reflections | Not On Label (José Luiz Martins Self-released) | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2023 |
| Kevin O'Connell Quartet, Adam Brenner | Hot New York Minutes | Not On Label | Sideman | 2023 |
Styles & Genres Distribution
Styles
| Style | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hard Bop | 160 | 14.4% |
| Bop | 128 | 11.6% |
| Post Bop | 128 | 11.6% |
| Contemporary Jazz | 69 | 6.2% |
| Soul-Jazz | 38 | 3.4% |
| Jazz-Funk | 27 | 2.4% |
| Swing | 24 | 2.2% |
| Modal | 22 | 2% |
| Latin Jazz | 18 | 1.6% |
| Cool Jazz | 18 | 1.6% |
Genres
| Genre | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz | 623 | 56.2% |
| Funk / Soul | 22 | 2% |
| Latin | 14 | 1.3% |
| Pop | 9 | 0.8% |
| Folk, World, & Country | 8 | 0.7% |
| Blues | 6 | 0.5% |
| Rock | 4 | 0.4% |
| Stage & Screen | 3 | 0.3% |
| Brass & Military | 1 | 0.1% |
| Classical | 1 | 0.1% |